the reason why we dont get ceder or pine is because they are very toxic to hamsters. they produce toxic that is bad for the hamster respiratory system & will react with the hamster pee which is very acidic. the way they are processed is also bad...they undergo so many types of chemical process...anyway the best is aspen but the problem is its very very hard to find over here. plus it will be quite expensive too.

i think the 1 u saw is chipsi bedding that has apple scent frankly speaking chispi isnt the best bedding too but its quite affordable for people like me (student). chipsi bedding is made from softwood which is from fir & spruce they do produce oils & there is smell from it too (but its way way better than using pine bedding) which isnt that good for hamster respiratory. but its said to be safe for hamster & its quite soft too. i been using that bedding & so far its ok for my hamster. same goes for delikate brand too as they are made from softwood too. but the good thing about delikate is they do not have strong smell compare to chipsi which i assume is good for hamster. any scented bedding is bad for hamster respiratory. if u want to buy bedding get natural scent, avoid those apple scent, lime, lemon etc...

& of course the best brand will be breeder's celect or healthy pet. corn cob type of bedding is also very good but its hard to find & quite expensive. but if u can afford it then why not...its good to give your hamster the best stuff u can provide. oh btw shredded paper is also good for hamster as bedding but its too expensive. (u cant use newspaper as they have ink on it & it might be harmful for your hamster).

i stay at subang jaya. coming week will be busy...need to finish up two of my assignments during the raya break

This post has been edited by infernoaswen: Aug 27 2011, 01:32 AM

as mark said its not the type that matters...its the size. its very easy to get a 2ft tank rather than finding a 2ft cage. until today i never see a 2ft cage yet unless u plan to get those for guinea pig but wouldnt recommend that coz its short & cover holes are big, the hamster can easily jump out of it & escape. i m using a 8" wheel & the wheel itself is very big (the height) in my tank. if your aunty cage is 2ft then its ok....tubes dosent really give extra space for the hamster but its good to have them as additional...they will usually eat in the tubes & sleep in there sometimes...

its fine to use a cage around 1.5ft too...no harm...just that 2ft is recommended....you wouldnt like to stay in a house that fits 1 person only do u?

i never saw that bedding before so i m not so sure what type of wood they use. they never write on the packet ah? its hard to say but if they didnt write then most probably they are made from pine...try to feel the texture...if it feels rough & looks like the shavings made by living world then most likely its pine...

oh i missed out the part "to add to another cage to make it bigger".....

anyway dream already explain everything in detail

i added those recommended vets in the first page. let me know if there is any other recommended vets out there which treats hamsters. i will update the list then

its not recommended to use scented bedding but if u bought already nvm u can use it...if the scent is too strong u can try to leave the bedding open in air for few hours first...let the scent to come out first but most likely the scent will still be there...i used strawberry bedding scent before when i didnt know scented bedding is not recommended. My hamster is still alive & is still healthy till today


btw who breed mealworm before? how big is the beetle? my mealworm still no beetle how long does it take for the mealworm to change to beetle?

1) for bedding please refer to Post #61 (first post in page 4).
2) yes if you want to toilet train your hamster. please refer to page 1 on how to potty train your hamster.
3) for food please refer to page 1.

& about scented beddings u can read over here >> http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=59802. another alternative bedding is corn cob type (the one made from natural corn). those are safe for hamsters but the disadvantage of that bedding is its does a bad job is insulating heat unlike wood shavings.


btw dream i used the woddy pack already last week....my hamster doesnt really like it...i notice the smell is too strong & he dosent sleep/eat in the toilet when i started use that. but it does a excellent job in absorbing his urine tho...

havent...going to try it tho after my chipsi classic finishes. apparently i read its better than chipsi in terms of scent. they say chipsi scent is stronger compare to delikate. (not sure if they changed their quality already or not...hopefully its still good like back in those days)...

i never get the chance to try chipsi bedding back in those days so i cant be sure...but their bedding is still soft & less smell compare to the living world bedding which is made from pine. so not so sure....plus i think if they change they will update their website right?

i see....mine still got half bottle...try giving your hamster mealworms i started giving him live mealworms & he never hoard it...just grab it & start nom nom nom nom on it....

oh...i never saw their old packing so i m not sure...might be possible...problem is they write softwood....never state what kind...

u can try...its rm1 only...so cheap...if he dont eat u can always throw it away . most probably he will eat it la...its their natural instinct....plus they will always try to nib on new scent items...just like what my hamster did with woody pack at first...he thought that was food

This post has been edited by infernoaswen: Aug 29 2011, 08:12 PM

i see...they are still young i guess then...still no beetles...but i saw a few shed skin tho...

maybe she is pregnant?

yeah kinda limited stuff they got...last time i went there...their bedding section was almost full of chipsi bedding

taken from the 1st post...i dont know how many times its been said already.....

---

Added on September 7, 2011, 7:31 pmu can call those vet to ask their 'vet fees', try searching in the first page or u could refer to the full vet list also...i did put the link in the first page....but if u do treatment or bought medicine then price might be different...

well i m not sure what that problem is....maybe try a quick google search? but it is possible for hamster to get flu....but its not common....hamster have really good immune system...but that dosent mean it couldnt happen....

This post has been edited by infernoaswen: Sep 7 2011, 07:31 PM

sorry to hear that...

that is syrian hamster. confirm they will fight...need to separate them or else 1 is going to end up dead. black & white? most probably its a panda bear syrian. the one in the picture is called teddy bear syrian

**taken from the first page.

This post has been edited by infernoaswen: Sep 13 2011, 07:22 PM

i m not so sure about female heat. but some people say got smell..so if u can smell something different then u know la...or if she is in heat & u introduce your male hamster to her, he will start licking & do his job...depends tho...but i wouldnt advice u to breed tho or intro your male hamster to her. u will need to do lots of research first before start breeding & make sure u can provide each of them separate cage & accessories...

cool...another syrian owner well its normal, they want to explore around their new environment. & about the sleeping issue...its normal...hamster sleeps a lot...usually they are active after 12am till morning. u got wheel already? u can try to put the cage in your room & sleep today. later middle of the night your hamster will wake u up...they will run in their wheel etc...

its still new...let your hamster get used to the new environment first....they might sleep more because stress....new environment & all....let them settle down for 1 week....if u can wake up middle of the night u can see...your hamster should be active at that time...& it takes time to tame your hamster...first time handling your hamster is like that...they are afraid of your hand & scent...he/she might even bite you if he feels threatened.

1) just start slowly...intro your hand to your hamster first basically u want to intro your natural scent to him(try not to have any perfume or wash your hand before u intro...got soap smell)....& dont carry him first!
2) then start giving him/her treats using your hand (sunflower seed can be used as treats)....
3)then slowly let him climb on your hand...u can do all this slowly slowly...after 2-3days proceed with next step...dont do all at one time....everything need to be done slowly so that your hamster wont feel scared

its normal...its called hoarding...hamster love to hoard their food...in the wild they usually go out at night to find food...they will travel here & there & collect as much food as possible & store in their pouch. later when they reach back to their home they will remove it, eat a little & store the rest. so its their natural behavior...we cant change that...mine also do that....

same goes with bedding...they collect it in their pouch & remove it later in their house & arrange it...they are making their bed more comfortable i guess... but i do not have any smell problem...usually whatever they horde & remove is still dry...its possible to kena a little saliva but usually no smell maybe your gf hamster store it too long in the pouch? but their pouch usually dry one or little moist only... or maybe the smell is another source? hamster pee in their house?

it will be better if u buy a toilet & start toilet train her. once she is toilet train it will be very easy to clean it...just replace the toilet litter when needed.

u can add more bedding if u want but not too much till she have to dig to pee...they need to feel comfortable....its better if u change the bedding every time if its possible....but honestly better toilet train your hamster...toilet litter absorb pee better than bedding.

u can buy this i bought last month & until today my hamster still grind his teeth when he feels like it. u can find the wooden bridge in petstore...its around rm6.
Before i tried the wooden bridge i was using apple wood. that is quite good too but the only bad side about apple wood is once the outer layer is removed my hamster wont grind his teeth with it anymore...takes about 2days then have to change new apple wood. but the wooden bridge is highly recommended coz until today(about 1 month already) he is still using it, plus it can act as a hiding place or toy for your hamster to climb on it.

he is doing great...getting fat because i give him mealworms

have u seen them mating? if so then maybe the male is just doing it wrong...if so then it might take some time...

or it could be the male is just not interested...

yup bought d, he like to grid his teeth on it

try not to fed worms to babies...the worms sometimes can bite...especially superworm but i think the 1 in your picture is mealworm superworm looks more bigger leh...

there can be many reason for that...bedding, mites, food...stress...etc...

try to check for mites first...u will need to throw the food and bedding and disinfect the whole cage. also need to separate the other hamster. if u think its bedding then i guess your hamster got some kind of allergy to chipsi bedding? when did this problem started anyways? right after u change bedding or what?

dont forget to take your hamster to a vet to get treatment, fur losing problem is quite serious if no action is taken. there are few cases in the internet where their hamster goes bald...

yup its hard to find good bedding...so far i still couldnt find any aspen bedding.....chipsi & delikate only i can find...the others all not good....

u can try delikate bedding if u want....many people got use that & are happy with it...i still havent try it...will try once my old bedding finishes...some say its better than chipsi...but that i m not so sure...i need to try it first